Pouring spout for carton structures



April 15, 1969 J. F. LA PIERRE 3,

POURING SPOUT FOR CARTON STRUCTURES Filed Oct. 16. 1967 ii li INVENTOR/SJAMES F. LA PIERRE KT Z-%S W United States Patent US. Cl. 222-528 8Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An integral pouring spout structurefor a paperboard carton in which the pouring spout is formed from wallportions of the carton structure, the glue flap of a conventionaltubular carton being extended in the area of the pouring spout toprovide an inner wall panel having an inwardly displaceable flapdefining a V-shaped dispensing opening, the overlying body wall panelhaving a cut and scored V-shaped spout part juxtaposed to thedisplaceable flap, therebeing a second spout part hingedly connected toone side edge of the first spout part, the two spout forming parts beingdisplaceable outwardly from the plane of the body wall panel to exposethe inwardly displaceable flap, whereupon the spout defining parts arefoldable relative to each other to define a spout, the second spout partbeing slidably engageable with a side edge of the dispensing opening andhaving a tongue engageable inwardly of a corner edge of the dispensingopening to establish the erected position of the spout, the Spout parts,once assembled, being displaceable inwardly to reclose the dispensingopening.

Background of the invention While numerous types of pouring spoutstructures have heretofore been proposed for dispensing the contents ofpaperboard cartons, those which have been formed from paperboard havesuffered such difficiencies as the inadequacy of the paperboard parts todefine a symmetrical spout which will effectively dispense the contentsand which will be sufiiciently rigid to withstand repeated opening andclosing. In addition, many such paperboard spouts are difficult to openand close and often require a sharp instrument to sever or lift theparts.

While some of the disadvantages of paperboard spouts, such as lack ofdurability and rigidity, have been eliminated by utilizing metallic orplastic spouts, or foil lined parts, such constructions often requirespecial machinery for their fabrication as well as added expense. Inaddition, increasing objections have been voiced by health authoritiesabout the possible contamination of food products by metallic spoutmembers and spout constructions wherein the contents of the containerare not tightly and effectively sealed before use.

The instant invention alleviates the foregoing difficulties by providinga spout structure which, particularly when utilized with a lined carton,affords complete protection of the contents until the spout is openedand the liner ruptured by the inward displacement of the openingdefining flap in the inner wall panel. The spout forming parts arereadily accessible to the user without requiring a knife or otherinstrument to separate them from the carton body, and once the spout hasbeen erected it is quite sturdy, as is the area of the carton in whichit formed. A carton constructed in accordance with the instant inventiondoes not require special machinery or equipment for its fabrication, norare separate parts or attachments required which add to the cost of thecarton.

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Summary of the invention A one-piece tubular carton structure,preferably provided with a liner which is adhered to the inner surfaceof the inner wall panel about the periphery of the opening defining flapso that when the flap is displaced inwardly by the user pressing againstit, the inward displacement of the flap will automatically sever theliner.

The spout itself, is formed entirely within the confines of theoverlying body wall and is composed of two articulated parts which, whendisplaced from the plane of the carton body wall and folded relative toeach other, define a symmetrical spout one side edge of which ishingedly connected to the carton and coincides with one leg of theV-shaped dispensing opening, the other side of the spout being insliding engagement with the remaining leg of the V-shaped opening andbeing movable from an extended spout-defining position to a retractedposition in which the second spout part lies within the confines of thecarton body and the remaining part overlies and closes the dispensingopening. A tab is provided on the upper edge of the last named spoutpart to facilitate its engagement by the users fingers to return thespout parts to their erected condition.

Description of the drawings FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a carton blankincorporating a pouring spout construction in accordance with theinvention.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the blank of FIG- URE 1 in partiallyerected condition illustrating the relationship of the parts.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the spent inerected condition.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary persepctive view with parts broken awayillustrating the manner in which one side of the spout structure engagesthe inner surface of the carton body.

The preferred ernbodiment Referring first to FIGURE 1, the carton blankfor forming a pouring spout carton in accordance with the instantinvention comprises a sheet of boxboard cut and scored to defineenclosing body walls 1, 2, 3 and 4 in sideby-side articulation in theorder named; and at their opposite ends the body walls will be providedwith conventional sets of end closure flaps 5, 6, 7 and 8 as will bereadily understood by the worker in the art.

A longitudinally extending atttachment flap 9 is hingedly connected tothe free side edge of body wall 4 by means of which the body walls aretubed to form a tubular body. In accordance with the invention, the flap9 has an extension 10 which is of substantially the same width as thebody wall 1 and defines an inner wall panel. This panel is provided witha generally V-shaped flap 11 the opposite side edges or legs 12 and 13being defined by lines of cut, whereas its upper edge is defined by acutscore line 14. In addition, it will be noted that the line of cut 13extends beyond the adjoining end of the cutscore line 14 to define aslit 15 which, as will be explained more fully hereinafter, is adaptedto slidably receive an edge of one of the spout defining parts.

The pouring spout is formed in the carton body wall and comprises agenerally V-shaped first spout part 16 hingedly connected to the bodywall 1 along the line of articulation 17 which, in the erected structurecoincides With the line of cut 12. A second spout forming part 18 ishingedly connected to the part 16 along the inclined line ofarticulation 19 which is positioned, in the erected structure, tocoincide with the line of cut 13, the part 18 is separated from the bodywall 1 by a rounded line of cut 20 and a cutout portion 21 defined by acurved edge 22 which at its end defines a tongue or projection 23. Thefirst tongue part 16 has an upper edge defined by the line of cut 24which additionally defines a tab 25.

The carton blank just described will be folded and tubed in the usualfashion with the attachment flap 9 juxtaposed and adhesively secured tothe inner surface of body wall 1 adjacent its free side edge. To thisend, adhesive, indicated at 26, will have first been applied toattachment flap 9 and to inner wall panel 10 in the shaded areas, theadhesive, however, being omitted from the area 27 which includes theflap 11 and corresponds in location to the spout forming parts 16 and 18together with the cutout portion 21. Consequently, when the at tachmentflap 9 and inner wall panel 10 are juxtaposed and adhesively secured tothe inner surface of body wall 1, the parts will be securely adheredtogether, but the spout defining parts will remain unadhered to theunderlying inner wall panel. If a tubular liner is to be associated withthe carton blank, it will be understood that the liner will be adheredto the inner surface flap 11 and to the inner wall panel 10 in an areasurrounding the flap 11.

The tubed carton structure and liner, if such is employed, will beclosed and sealed at one end, filled through the opposite end, followedby the closing and sealing of the remaining end of the liner and theoverlying end closure flaps. In such condition the carton structure isready for consumer purchase and use.

In the hands of the consumer, when it is desired to dispense thecontents of the carton using the pouring spout, the user has but to gripthe spout forming part 23 with a finger, ready access to an edge of thepart being had by reason of cutout 21. The two spout forming parts 16and 18 will swing outwardly along the line of articulation 17, therebyexposing the underlying flap 11 which may be readily displaced inwardlyby the user pressing a finger against it, the flap 11 folding inwardlyalong the cutscored line 14. Where a liner is employed which isadhesively secured to the inner surface of flap 11 and to the inner wallpanel 10 surrounding the periphery of the flap 11, the inwardly directedpressure on flap 11 will cause the liner to break cleanly along thesides of the flap defined by the lines of cut 12 and 13, therebyproviding a dispensing opening. The spout defining parts 16 and 18 arethen folded relative to each other along the line of articulation 19 andthe outermost end of second spout part 18 is inserted into thedispensing opening, sliding along the cut edge 13. The dimensioning ofthe parts, is such that the length of the lines of articulation 17 and19 is somewhat greater than the opposite sides of the dispensingopening, as defined by the lines of cut 12 and 13, with the result thatthe upper curved edge of spout forming part 22 will pass through and beguided by slit 15, which is formed in prolongation of the line of cut13. Upon insertion of the spout forming part 18 in the manner described,the parts will assume the position illustrated in FIGURES 3 and 4,wherein it will be seen that the tongue or projection 23 on spout part18 will lie to the inside of the carton body and engage the inner Wallpanel 10 immediately beyond the end of slit 15. A symmetrical pouringspout is thus formed by means of which the contents of the package maybe readily dispensed. The spout structure is securely supported by theassociation of the spout part 18 with the cut edge 13 and its engagementin slit 15, and the entire spout area is strengthened and rigidified bythe inner wall panel 10.

When it is desired to reclose the carton, the user has only to pressinwardly on the spout along the folded edge defined by line ofarticulation 19, thereby causing the spout forming part 18 to moveinwardly within the carton body, with the spout part 16 overlying andjuxtaposed to the dispensing opening, the upper portion of spout part16, including the tab 25 entering the recessed area 28 (FIGURE 3)defined by the exposed surface of inner wall panel 10 and the area ofbody wall 1 lying beyond the cut edge 24. In reclosing the spout, theuser can readily deflect the tab 25 outwardly so that it may be readilyengaged by the users fingers to return the parts of the pouring spout totheir erected or extended position.

As should now be apparent, the instant invention provides an integralpouring spout structure which may by readily opened and closed by theuser while at the same time providing a strong and eflicient spoutstructure. The construction of the spout is such that it may be addedwithout any significant increase in the cost of the carton, andthecarton may be fabricated using conventional folding and gluingequipment without special attachments or handling. Modifications may, ofcourse, be made in the invention without departing from its spirit andpurpose. For example, while the V-shaped flap formed in the inner Wallpanel is defined in part by lines of cut, as is the second spout formingpart, such lines of cut may be readily replaced by lines for severancein which the parts are joined together by small interruptions at spacedapart intervals which are broken away as the parts are displaced fromthe planes of the panels in which they are formed.

The embodiments of the invention in which an eX- clusive property orprivilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. An integral pouring spout structure for a paperboard carton havingenclosing body walls, said structure comprising an inner wall paneljuxtaposed to the inner surface of the first of said enclosing bodywalls, a dispensing opening in said inner wall panel defined by adisplaceable flap the opposite side edges of which define the oppositeside edges of said dispensing opening, said first enclosing body wallhaving a spout structure defined therein overlying said displaceableflap, said spout structure comprising a first spout part of generallyV-shaped configuration hingedly connected to said first enclosing bodywall along a line coinciding with one of the opposite side edges of saiddispensing opening, a second spout part hingedly connected to said firstspout part along a line coinciding with the other side edge of saiddispensing opening, said second spout part having a projection remotefrom its hinged connection to said first spout part and being of a sizeto be inserted into said dispensing opening along the said other sideedge thereof upon the outward folding of said first spout part relativeto said first enclosing body wall and the inward folding of said secondspout part relative to said first part along their line of hingedconnection to each other, thereby defining a pouring spout for saidcarton, the projection on said second spout part engaging the innersurface of said inner Wall panel beyond said dispensing opening.

2. The pouring spout structure claimed in claim 1 wherein a slit extendsupwardly in prolongation of the said other side edge of said dispensingopening, and wherein said second spout part is of a size to have amarginal edge portion thereof engaged in said slit.

3. The pour-ing spout structure claimed in claim 2 wherein said firstspout part is of a length greater than the length of said dispensingopening and projects upwardly beyond the upper edge of said dispensingopening when juxtaposed thereto, and wherein a tab is formed in theextending upper portion of said first spout part.

4. The pouring spout structure claimed in claim 3 wherein a cutoutportion lies between the free side edge of said first enclosing bodywall and an edge of said second spout part.

5. The pouring spout structure claimed in claim 1 wherein the carton islined, and wherein the liner is secured to the inner surface of saiddisplaceable flap and to said inner panel in an area surrounding saiddisplaceable flap.

6. In a paperboard carton, a body wall, an inner Wall panel underlying aportion of said body wall, a dispensing opening in said inner Wall panelhaving V-shaped side edges, a pouring spout struck from said body wall,said pouring spout overlying said dispensing opening and comprising afirst spout part hingedly connected to said body wall along a linegenerally paralleling one side edge of said dispensing opening, a secondspout part hingedly connected to said first spout part along a linegenerally paralleling the other side edge of said dispensing opening,said spout parts being fo'ldable relative to each other and to said bodywall to define a pouring spout for said carton, said second spout parthaving a projecting edge portion slidably engageable with the said otherside edge of said dispensing opening, and interconnecting means -formaintaining said second spout part in engagement with the said otherside edge of said dispensing opening, said interconnecting meanscomprises a slit in said inner wall panel extending in prolongation ofthe said other side edge of said dispensing opening and a tongue on saidsecond spout part engageable inwardly beyond said slit.

7. In a carton having juxtaposed inner and outer panels defining a wallof said carton and a flexible liner underlying said inner panel, acontoured flap formed in said sponding to said contoured flap and asecond part hingedly connected to said first part, said outer panelbeing adhesively secured to said inner panel except for said spoutdefining fiap, whereby when said spout defining flap is foldedoutwardly, said contoured flap is exposed and may be pressed inwardly tobreak said liner and form a dispensing opening, the parts of said spoutdefining flap being foldable relative to each other with said secondpart inserted in said dispensing opening to define a reclosable pouringspout for said carton.

8. The structure claimed in claim 7 including means connecting saidsecond flap part to said inner wall panel upon insertion of said secondflap part in said dispensing opening.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS STANLEY H, TOLLBERG, PrimaryExaminer.

US. Cl. X.R. 222-556

